Pinlock



Aug. 21, 1951 R Q OSGOOD 2,564,919

PIN LOCK Filed July 23, 1948 Patented Aug. 21, 1951 n lIINLOCK Robert C. Osgood, Claremont, N. H., assigner to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 23, 1948, YSerial No. 40,295

16 Claims.

My invention relates to sheaves, and particularly to that form of sheaves which are adapted for the quick association with them and removal from them of wire ropes, cables, or the like. From another aspect, the invention may be said to relate to quick detachable connections for clevises or the like.

In mining operations such as scraping the tail ropes from the Scrapers are commonly passed around sheaves connected to mine walls, or supported at the ends of control cables, or otherwise, and it is frequently desirable to eiTect the Vplacing of a cable, at a point spaced from its ends, in guided relation with a sheave; and as such sheaves are of a character which holds a cable against inadvertent escape from the sheave wheel during use, it is necessary to provide quick-opening means for quick rope changes, and in order that such means may not open accidentally, self-locking holding means is desirably provided.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved sheave construction. It is another objectof the invention to provide a quick-opening, snatch block construction having improved selflocking means for permitting fast and easy rope changes, .but minimizing the .risk of Vloss of the locking pin, with resultant escape of the rope from the sheave. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved pin locking arrangement in which, except when the pin is substantially in eXtreme in position, the pin shall be locked against turning to a position in which release can be effected. Still another object is to provide an improved pin and locking key arrangement, in which only in a predetermined position of the pin can the locking key be released, and in which the locking key has means cooperating with it, on one of the parts which it connects, normally holding it from turning to the position in which the key can be moved to enable release. Yet a further object is to provide an improved lock of the character mentioned in which the pin, by manual or other longitudinal displacement, can be caused by its engagement with one of the parts through which it passes to assume a locked relation with pin-rotation preventing means of such part. Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one form and a couple of modifications which the invention may assume in practice are shown for purposes of illustration,

Fig. l is a side elevational view, with parts broken away to show features of one form of the improved locking means, of a sheave block in.

which the Vinvention is embodied in such illustrative form.

Fig. 2 is a view of a clevis connected by the improved pin lock, the view taken at right angles to Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 showing a detail of construction.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, horizontal sectional View on the plane of the line 4--4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the structure at the right hand of the pin shown in Fig. 1, showing the parts locked.

Fig. 6 is a similar View, but showing the pin turned through 180 on its axis and with the key in process of movement to released position.

Fig. 7 shows the same parts, with the pin and key ready for withdrawal.

Fig. 8 shows a modification in which there is provided means to'insure automatic movement of the key to a position to lock the pin against turnmg.

Figs. 9 and 10 are Views similar to Figs. 5 and '7, showing on a further enlarged scale, the key pivoted oiT-center laterally as well as endwise, whereby it is self biased, in upright positions of the sheave, to self -locking position.

The guide sheave or snatch block It) in connection with which the invention is illustrated, consists of a pair of covers or side plates II held in rigid relation to each other by distance pieces, not shown, surrounding cap screws I2, and by a bolt I3 surrounded by a bearing structure, not shown, and which serves as a further spacing means between the cover plates. A sheave wheel I4` is suitably journaled on the bearing structure surrounding the bolt I3, and the structure so far described is a well known one and widely used, and requires no further illustration or description because its particular manner of construction so far described does not enter into the invention.

The side plates or covers 'II each carry spaced ears, these being designated on one of the cover plates ISA, ISB; land on the other only the ear I6A shows. To support the sheave in use a number of dilerent arrangements supported by the ears mentioned maybe employed, such as hooks, swivel hooks, safety hooks, eye bolts and clevises, and I have illustrated in the drawing a clevis Il which consists of a generally U-shaped member having enlarged end portions I8 each of which is traversed by openings one of which is shown at I9 and which are ,formed with their axes parallel to each other and perpendicular to a plane which passes through the vclevis in such a manner as to include the axes of both legs thereof. One leg of the clevis is semi-permanently pivotally connected to the ears of which one is shown at IBA, by a pin 2l held against escape by a cotter pin 22, the pin ZI passing through one of the openings in the end portions of the clevis and through the openings in the ears.

The other end of the clevis is readily detachable from the cover or side plate to the ears of which it is secured, such an arrangement being provided in order that a cable or wire rope may be quickly passed over the sheave wheel I 4 or released from the sheave structure. The ears I5A, |513 have alined openings or bores 24, and through these openings, and through the opening I9 in the adjacent side of the clevis, there is adapted to be extended a pin 26 having a head 2l at one end, and at its opposite end a slot 28 in which, near the end of the pin, Vthere is pivotally supported on a cross pin 29 a latch member or key 30. This latch member, in the form of the invention shown in Figs. l to '7, is supported at a point distinctly nearer one end than the other thereof but midway between the sides thereof; and the length of the pin 26 is desirably so chosen, that is, the distance from its head 21 to the pivot pin 26, that it would be impossible for the latch member or key 36 to be brought, with the pin in the openings 24, I9, 24, into a position With its major dimension in line with the pin were it not for the special arrangements shortly to be described. The face of the ear |513, next to which the latch or key 36 lies in the position of the parts shown in Fig. 1, has a generally plane face 35 in which an elongated groove 36 is formed extending radially from the bore 24. This groove is deepest at its communication with the bore 24, but it is not deep enough to allow the long leg of the latch to be swung through it even with the head 21 of the pin 26 up against the face of the adjacent ear IEA. Indeed, it may be noted that the slot 28 itself is, as shown, not deep enough to permit the latch or key to be swung into a position with its longer end lying wholly in the slot inward of the pivot pin 29. The slot 28 is, however, long enough so that the shorter leg of the latch or key 36 can be swung to a position wholly within the slot, and the groove 36 is of such depth that when the latch is positioned in the same planes With the groove, and the shorter leg of the latch lies opposite the mouth of the groove 36, such shorter leg can be swung through the groove into the slot, thereby enabling the withdrawal of the pin 26. The intended mode of operation of the pin and key is that the latter shall be positioned with its short end in the slot 28 when the pin is to be placed in position to hold the clevis relative to the cover plate I I which carries the ears 15A, I 5B; and after the pin has been thrust all the way in, and the key has been brought to a position in which its short leg can be swung outwardly through the slot 36, the key will be brought to right angled relation with the pin, and then the pin will be turned, as by turning the key, to a position such as is shown in Fig. l, with the long leg of the key opposite the mouth of the groove 36. A slight axial outward movement of the pin will cause the latch or key to assume the position shown in Fig. 5. This Fig. 5 position is the general position of the parts which will be normally maintained when the sheave is suspended from above; and in practice it is the general position which will be maintained regardless of the position of the sheave, because after the key has been turned to the position shown in Fig. 1, and the pin and key have been shoved bodily to the left, with the parts viewed asin Fig. 1, until the inner lower corner of the key is received in the groove 36, the parts will tend so to remain. The key or latch will be caused to tend to project into the groove 36 by engagement of the upper inner corner of the keythe shorter leg ofthe key-with the plain outer face 35 at the top of the grooved ear ISB. Thus there will be a distinctly reduced possibility of the release of the clevis in use.

If it be desired to provide a more positive insurance against the accidental release of the latch or key and of the latch or key supporting pin, a spring 32 may be provided, as shown in Fig. 8, to engage the head 21 of the pin 26 and move the parts into the position just described, and clearly illustrated in Fig. 8. With this position of the parts, it will be evident that the pin must be positively thrust to the right in order that it may be rotated to a position in which the latch or key can be turned into alinement with the pin, and thereby enable Withdrawal of the pin.

Instead of using a spring, the latch or key may be pivoted OIT-center, not only with respect to its ends, but with respect to its sides, so that the unbalanced weight of the latch or key may, as shown in Fig. 9, tend to cause the same to occupy with its lower corner a position in the groove 36, this being possible by appropriately proportioning the size of the latch or key 3D', and positioning the pin 26. As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the latch or key may be moved to a position to enable its withdrawal, notwithstanding the oicenter pivoting thereof. An important consideration with respect to the design of the pin lock and latch is that it is impossible, with the short leg of the latch outward, as shown in Fig. l, from the axis of rotation of the sheave, for the latch to be released. In other words, the construction and proportions are such that only through the relief provided by the groove 36 can the latch be moved to position for withdrawal. The arrangement of the parts is accordingly such that not only, in the normal position o f the parts, is the pin latched or keyed by the transversely extending element 3!! against direct withdrawal, but the pin must be rotated on its axis, before the unlatching operation is possible, and, further, such rotation upon the axis of the pin will be usually practicable only upon withdrawal of the corner of the longer leg of the latch or key from the groove 36. A very eiIective, simple and practical arrangement for preventing undesired release of the clevis is accordingly presented by the invention in its several illustrative forms.

While a centrally slotted pin with a latch swingable in the pin slot has been illustrated, it will be appreciated that a tongue on the pin, and an appropriately slotted cooperating latch of cross section similar t0 the pin may be used by suitably xing the dimensions of the groove in the ear face.

While there are in this application specically described one form and certain modications which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form and these modifcations are shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be further modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims. v

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pin locking construction including, in

combination, spaced elements each vtraversed by a pin-receiving opening, the pin-receiving openings in said elements being mutually aligned, a pin vinsertable, by endwise movement, in said openings and having portions thereof received simultaneously in each of said openings and yhaving a slotted end, and having means for interrupting insertive movementl thereof through said openings in such a position that said slotted end projects from the opening last traversed by it in the insertive movement of said pin, an elongated latch element having a portion thereof in the slot of the slotted end of said pin, pivot forming means mounting said latch element in the slotted end of said pin for swinging in said slot upon an axis from which the opposite ends of said latch elements are spaced unequal xed distances, said latch element being of such Width and said pivot forming means being so located with respect to said latch element and to said pin that said latch element is turnable relative to said pin into a position to permit its withdrawal through said openings, the one of said elements from the opening in which said slotted end projects having a groove therein extending transversely with respect to such opening and opening into said opening and providing a space of such depth that the shorter, but not the longer, end of said latch element is movable therethrough into and out of withdrawal position upon swinging of such latch element upon said axis and of such length that the longer end of such latch element is engageabletherein, when said pin is turned to the proper position to bring the longer end of said latch element opposite said groove, to prevent turning of the pin on its axis.

2. A pin locking construction according to claim 1, in which the axis for swinging upon which said latch element is mounted in the slotted end of the pin is arranged in a diametric plane of said pin but off the longitudinal center line of the vlatch element.

3. A pin locking construction according to claim 1, in which there is included means for yieldingly moving said pin t0 cause said latch element to assume an acute angled relation to said pin with a portion of said latch element in the groove.

4. A pin locking construction including, in combination, spaced elements each traversed by a pin-receiving opening, the pin-receiving openings in said elements being mutually aligned, a pin insertable, by endwise movement, in said openings and having portions thereof received simultaneously in each of said openings, means for interrupting insertive movement 0f said pin through said openings with one end thereof projecting from the opening last traversed by it in the insertive movement of said pin, an elongated latch element at the last mentioned end of said pin carried by and pivotally connected to the latter for swinging upon an axis from which the opposite ends of said latch element are spaced unequal xed distances, said latch element of such width and said pivotal connection so located with respect to said latch element and to said pin that said latch element is turnable relative to said pin into a position to permit its withdrawal through said openings, the one of said elements from the opening in which said latch element carrying end projects having a radially extending groove-like recess opening through its face and communicating with the opening therethrough and providing a space of such depth that the shorter, but not the longer, end of said latch element iis movable therethrough into and out of withdrawal position upon swinging of said latch element upon said axis from which the opposite ends of said latch element are spaced i unequal xedfdistances and of such length in the direction of its radial extension that the longer end of such latch element is engageablethere'in to prevent turning of the pin on its axis. 'v

'5. A pin locking construction including, in combination, spaced elements each traversed by a pin-receiving opening, the pin-receiving openings in said elements being mutually aligned, a headed pin insertable, by endwise movement, in said openings to bring the head thereof against an outer side of one of said elements and to 1ocate portions thereof simultaneously in each of said openings, an elongated latch element at the end of said pin remote from its head, said latch element pivotally connected to said pin for swinging upon an axis from which the opposite ends of said latch element are spaced unequal xed distances, said latch element of such Width and said pivotal connection so located with respect to said latch element and to said pin that said latch element is turnable relative to said pin into a position to permit its withdrawal through said openings, the one of said elements not engaged by the head of said pin having a radially extending recess opening through its outer side and communicating with the opening therethrough and providing a space of such 4depth that the shorter, but not the longer, end of said latch element is swingable therethrough into and out of withdrawal position and of such length in the direction of its radial extension and of such depth that upon movement of said head away from said rst mentioned element the longer end of such latch element may be extended into said recess in a position oblique to the axis of said pin and making an acute angle with the pin.

6. A pin locking construction including, in combination, spaced rigid elements each traversed by a pin-receiving opening, the pin-receiving openings in said elements being mutually alined', an articulated pin insertible, by endwise movement, in said openings and including (a) a portion receivable simultaneously in each of said openings and (b) a latch portion, of which the length exceeds the width, hingedly connected to said first portion upon a pivot axis xed with respect to each of said portions so that they are capable of pivotal movement only with respect to each other, and said pivot axis being spaced unequally from the ends of said latch portion but further from the more adjacent end of the latter than its own minimum distance from a side of said latch portion, and said pin having at its end remote from said latch portion means engaging with one of said rigid elements for interrupting insertive movement of said pin through said openings in such a position that said pivot axis lies at the side of the other of said spaced rigid elements away from said means for interrupting insertive movement, said other of said spaced rigid elements having in it, at the last mentioned side thereof, a groove communicating with the pin-receiving opening which traverses it and receiving a side edge of the end of the latch portion which is further from the pivot axis when said last mentioned latch portion makes an acute angle with the first portion of said pin, said groove, upon turning of the pin on its axis through having the other end of said latch element swingable through it into a 7 8 position in which the portions of said pin are in UNITED STATES PATENTS mutual alinement. Number Name Date ROBERT C. OSGOOD. 119,302 Brdgman Sept. 26, 1871 317,421 Simons May 5, 1885 REFERENCES CITED 5 1,077,006 Smith OC. 28, 1913 1,145,423 Joseph July 6, 1915 fu'ghf gttferences are of record In the 1,148,429 Beach July 27, 1915 1,162,803 Parkes Dec. 7, 1915 

